These Vegan Stuffed Shells are filled to the brim with a mixture of spinach, basil, and almond ricotta. The blended filling makes this oil-free dish more kid-friendly. Perfect for holidays, dinner parties, potlucks, or a casual weeknight meal!
Vegan Stuffed Shells are a delicious, flavorful, and fun way to get in your greens! This is a great dish for bringing to a potluck or holiday. It's also a perfect introductory dish for people who aren't familiar with vegan cooking.
This stuffing is very similar to my recipe for Vegan Cannelloni. However, I find the shells are easier to fill, so this dish is a bit more weeknight-friendly.
These flavorful baked pasta shells are a delicious and filling meal the whole family will love! Unlike most stuffed shell recipes, the filling is blended, making this dish an easier sell to kids and picky eaters.
This meal is wholesome, comforting, and an absolute winner in my house. I hope you love it!
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You'll love this vegan stuffed shells recipe because it's:
- Quick & Easy
- Vegan / Vegetarian
- Kid-friendly
- Dairy-Free
- Oil-Free
- Easy to make WFPB or Gluten-Free
- Perfect for Holidays & Dinner Parties
- Healthy & Delicious
Can this be gluten-free?
To make this gluten-free, you need to find gluten-free pasta shells. Those might be a bit harder to find in stores, but they do exist! This list by The Celiac Diva should help out.
Can this be WFPB?
To be Whole-Foods Plant-Based, you just need to use whole wheat pasta shells. Brown rice pasta shells would also be fine.
Can this be nut-free?
To make these stuffed shells nut-free, you would need to use a vegan ricotta cheese that doesn't contain nuts, such as store-bought ricotta or tofu ricotta.
Ingredients
- almond ricotta (or any vegan ricotta)
- jumbo pasta shells, cooked
- Vidalia onion: Any type of onion is fine, I just prefer Vidalia in this recipe.
- Italian herbs: If you don't have Italian herbs, try an equal mix of dried oregano, basil, marjoram, rosemary, sage, and thyme. The oregano and basil are the most important flavors.
- salt
- garlic cloves: Feel free to use 1 to 2 tablespoons of garlic powder if you're out of fresh.
- spinach (loosely packed): Since the spinach gets cooked down, frozen would also work.
- fresh basil (loosely packed)
- bread crumbs
- marinara sauce: You can use homemade following the linked recipe or your favorite store brand.
Optional Garnish
*See recipe card for quantities.
Variations
- This filling will work for other types of stuffed pasta such as manicotti or cannelloni. In my vegan cannelloni recipe you need double the amount of filling.
- You can sprinkle vegan mozzarella over the shells before the bake for a cheesy topping.
- Add Vegan Italian Sausage Crumbles to the marinara for a meaty sauce.
Instructions
- If you need to make the almond ricotta from scratch, do that first. (You'll be using your blender again so no need to clean it!)
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the stuffed shells according to the package directions. When they are al dente, drain off the water and rinse them in cool water so they are easier to handle.
Make the filling
- While the pasta is cooking, prep your vegetables: Peel and roughly chop the onion and garlic. Wash the spinach and basil.
- Heat a skillet over medium high and add the onion. Sautee for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onions start to turn translucent. Then add the garlic, salt, and Italian seasoning. Cook 1 minute more.
- Add the spinach to the skillet and sautee until the spinach is wilted (2 to 3 minutes).
- Add the spinach and onion mixture to a blender with the vegan ricotta and basil. Blend until smooth.
- Transfer the spinach and ricotta mixture to a bowl. Add the breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Set the bowl aside.
Stuff and bake
- Preheat the oven to 375F or 190C.
- In a large baking dish, pour 2 to 3 cups of marinara sauce and spread it over the bottom of the baking dish.
- (Your pasta should be drianed and cooled now.) Stuff each shell with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the filling. Place each shell into the baking dish (it will sit on top of the marinara sauce).
- When all the shells are stuffed and in the baking dish, bake for about 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy right away!
Troubleshooting
- Why are my pasta shells are too hard or too chewy? You need to boil the shells, drain off the water and let them cool slightly before stuffing them. If they are still hard then you probably need to cook them a little longer.
- Why did my pasta shells fall apart? If you overcook the pasta or let them sit in the hot water too long, they can become limp and fall apart. Be sure to cook the pasta according to the package directions and use a timer so that they come out just right. Then drain and rinse under cool water so that they stop cooking and are easier to handle.
Pro-Tip
- Before you cook the shells, place them in your baking dish to see how many will fit. They do expand a little when cooking, so if you can't easily fit 24 shells into rows in the dish, then you might need to use two baking dishes.
How to serve
Serve these stuffed pasta shells as the main dish with an Italian side salad.
Plant-based stuffed shells pair well with easy air fryer broccoli or air fryer green beans.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes! There are a couple of possibilities for making this dish ahead.
You can just make the almond ricotta and spinach mixture ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to a day before stuffing and baking the shells.
You could also make the dish completely but wait to bake it until right before you eat. With this option, I wouldn't go overnight because the shells might get soggy.
This dish also tastes great reheated. If you were bringing it to a potluck or holiday party you could bake it at home and then reheat it for 10 minutes in the oven before serving.
How to store
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Do not freeze.
More vegan pasta recipes
📖 Recipe
Vegan Stuffed Shells (Oil-free)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond ricotta (or any vegan ricotta)
- 24 large pasta shells, cooked
- 1 Vidalia onion
- 2 teaspoons Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 cups spinach (loosely packed)
- 1 cup fresh basil (loosely packed)
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- 2 to 3 cups marinara sauce (depending on how much sauce you like)
Optional Garnish
Instructions
Pre-prep work
- If you are making the vegan ricotta from scratch, do that first.
- While you are making the ricotta, you should also cook the pasta shells according to the package direction. Be sure to drain and rinse the shells under cool water when they are done. (This will make it easier to handle them.)
Make the filling
- Peel and roughly chop the onion and garlic. Wash the spinach and basil.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion starts to turn translucent. Add the salt, Italian herbs, and garlic. Sautee 1 minute longer.
- Add the spinach to the skillet and sautee until the spinach is wilted (2 to 3 minutes).
- Add the ricotta, spinach and onion mixture, and basil to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Transfer the filling mixture to a bowl. Stir in the breadcrumbs and set aside.
Assemble and Bake
- Preheat the oven to 375F or 190C.
- Add 2 to 3 cups of marinara sauce to the baking dish and spread it evenly over the bottom.
- Carefully stuff each shell with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the filling and place each shell in the baking dish. This filling is enough for about 24 shells.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, uncovered.
- Serve and enjoy right away!
Notes
- You can use either homemade almond ricotta or your favorite brand of vegan ricotta.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Do not freeze.
Nutrition
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